I’d like to thank the punk gods…

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA 2/16/10

So the day began with a big breakfast for a change and a drop of clothes at the laundry because quite frankly, I’m afraid I might be starting to smell and how many times can I wear that Social Distortion T shirt?

I then proceeded to the gym, where it is leg day and promptly threw my back out doing squats because I didn’t know how to convert KGs to LBs and did too much weight. Now I can barely move.

Batra at Rehearsal at Salon Pueyrredon in Buenos Aires

Ahh but after that, my luck began to change as the punk Gods obviously took pity and began smiling on me.  I headed over to Salon Pueyrredon to meet with Batra, the lead singer of  punk band Sepulcro and one of the founders and owners of Salon Pueyrredon. I had met Batra and a host of other cool folks there the other night when I dropped in to make some contacts in the punk scene and they invited me back today.

Salon Pueyrredon has been around for over 14 years and is a staple to the punk and music scene in general in Buenos Aires. The name is hard to say (and spell) for this Gringo but it’s a cool venue for music. I think my favorite thing is this cool Johnny Cash painting behind the bar.

Johnny Cash is big in Buenos Aires

It’s actually a house and evidently Batra and a few others lived there when the financial crisis hit a few years back. Now the upstairs is an office and rehearsal hall for band and the top floor hosts an online radio station that is going to begin broadcasting some shows and indie music.

I caught some of Batra’s band Sepulcro’s rehearsal upstairs and Batra was cool enough to give me a couple of CDs which is great because I enjoyed the rehearsal immensely. Later Batra gave me a very humorous interview and thankfully I had Mariana, the communications person there, who translated a few sticky questions for us.

Rockabilly Queen Anita

I then proceeded to interview Rockabilly Queen Anita, who I had also met the other night and she graciously agreed to be interviewed in English.  Anita filled me in on the very underground Rockabilly scene here in Buenos Aires which is small but bigger than I expected.  She makes some of her own clothes and she dances swing but wants to learn burlesque but that particular art revival and pin up haven’t made it down to Buenos Aires just yet, she says.

Psychobilly fan Kituh is excited about Social Distortion coming to Buenos Aires

Then for a little psychobilly perspective, Salon Pueyreddon Bartendar,  and psychobilly band member, Kituh agreed to be interviewed while he served up a batch drinks that included some Argentine liquor that I can’t for the life of me remember the name. Anyone? I do remember it is mixed with coca cola, was good and strong.

I sipped mine considerably more slowly than everyone else cause after all I had work to do. In addition to bartending, Kitulh owns a tattoo salon called Buenos Muchachos . He like many people here  is very excited about the upcoming Social Distortion show in April.

I ended my session at the Salon with an interview with communication director Mariana who also consented to be interviewed in English (girls rule!) and she filled me in on the bar’s history and her own personal outlook on the punk scene in Buenos Aires.

Dos Minutos Rehearsal

I ended the night by tracking all the way over to a neighborhood close to downtown to catch most of the rehearsal by very well known and influential punk band “Dos Minutos”. These dudes are  hard core and my ears are still ringing from their intense set list. They are playing a concert on Sunday and invited me to go, so of course I said si. They’ve toured all over Latin America and the U.S. so I can’t wait to see them perform in front of a live audience of Buenos Aires punks.

El Mosca of Dos Minutos at Rehearsal

Its been a long day and I have another even longer day tomorrow so I’m off to bed. I have a feeling I’m going to sleep like a baby. Other than the back injury, it’s days like today that I really love what I’m doing.